


merry christmas, gabe

by orphan_account



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Christmas, Fluff, I needed a Reaper76 xmas story and I needed it yesterday, M/M, Oh My God, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Spanking, so many feels in this one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-11 07:20:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8966185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Gabe gets some bad news right before the holidays. Jack tries to help.





	

**Author's Note:**

> this is FLUFF and ANGST and oh my god I just wrote this is in one sitting so sorry for any mistakes. I needed Reaper76 Christmas angst, I just needed it. I think I'm going to write little one shots like this in a series, a series of moments between Gabe and Jack throughout the years. So expect even more fluffy angst in the near future

The toughest thing (one of the many) about the Soldier Enhancement Program was the lack of freedom. Jack had been training at the secret facility in Colorado for nearly 8 months and he realized (while in the shower, scrubbing off the filth of yet another day of training and fighting and enduring injections) that it had been 8 months since he’d seen the sun rise anywhere else. Indiana seemed like a distant memory. The only home he knew was the cold, metal, hidden building tucked away in the middle of the Rockies, with hundreds of men and women just as homesick and family-deprived as he was.

The only contact he had with his parents back in Bloomington were handwritten letters (they were old-fashioned, and he supposed they felt like his handwriting brought them closer together somehow). There were a stack of letters on the desk in his room, squished between his bed and Gabriel’s. Once he was done with his shower, he took a seat at his desk and grabbed a piece of paper. He was in the middle of writing a letter to his mother ( _Happy Holidays, mom_ ) when Gabriel came into the room with a tense look on his face (the face that made Jack’s gut feel warm and springy every time he saw it).

“You okay?” asked Jack, concerned. “I know the injections were tough today. I only finished throwing up a few minutes ago.”

Gabriel closed his eyes and shook his head. He sat on his twin-sized bed, his back to Jack. His shoulders were tight (Jack could see it even from where he was sitting). Jack dropped his pen and stood up from the desk, making his way to Gabriel’s side. He sat beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. “Gabe?”

His eyes were still closed. When he opened them, the look in those dark irises gave Jack an overwhelming feeling of dread. Gabriel looked straight ahead as he said, in a monotone voice, “My dad died.”

He said it so matter-of-factly, so bluntly, almost as if he was talking about the weather. But then his shoulders (so big and muscular and curving in on himself now) started to shake. Jack’s arms wound around Gabriel as he pulled the man into him. Gabriel’s hands found their way to Jack’s shirt and he took the fabric in his hands, clutching him tightly. “Gabe, I’m so sorry. Jesus fuck.”

Gabriel’s head was against Jack’s chest. Jack rubbed his back, bringing his hand up and down the expanse of Gabriel’s shoulders as he asked, “How did you find out?”

“One of the officers pulled me aside before my injection. Thought it’d be better to tell me before they stuck me with a fucking needle.”

Gabriel’s voice was calm and unwavering, but that only made Jack more concerned. He put his hand on the back of Gabriel’s neck, rubbing the skin and hair there. “Tell me what you need. What can I do?”

Gabriel sat up suddenly, sniffing. Jack ceased his movements as Gabriel fell back on the bed, rubbing his face. “You can get me the fuck out of here. His funeral...it’s next week. I need to be there.”

It was impossible. Jack knew it. So did Gabe. The SEP was notoriously hard ass about letting people come and go. But Jack grabbed one of Gabriel’s hands and squeezed it on top of the bed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Gabriel let out a humorless laugh. “Fuck, Jack. It won’t happen. No, I’ll just sit here and continue to let these assholes fuck up my body while I wait for it to mean something. They can bury my father without me.”

His bluntness and cold voice made Jack frown. He half-expected Gabriel to stand up and start trashing the room (his anger, Jack had seen, knew no bounds) but instead he let Jack run his thumb over the back of his hand. He stared down at Gabe, mind racing. They hadn’t really defined their...friendship yet (were they just fucking? Dating? In love? Who fucking knew?) but Jack could feel all of the emotion he possibly possessed rising up in his throat as he looked down at Gabriel. His eyes were half-open, staring into nothingness, dry as bone. His lips were pursed, his body quite still, but Jack knew there had to be a storm going on inside. Half of him wanted Gabriel to stay calm, but the other wanted him to react. To scream. To hit and slam and kick and just let the pain overtake him. Jack wanted to be there, holding him through it, whispering sweet things until Gabriel stopped crying. But this...deadness, this defeated man on the bed was almost worse.

Without thinking, Jack brought Gabriel’s hand to his mouth and kissed his knuckles softly. Gabriel’s expressionless eyes drifted to him, watching Jack as he pressed his lips into the dark skin. “I’ll find a way to get you to California, Gabe, if I have to take down this whole fucking facility,” muttered Jack, his breath tickling the skin on Gabriel’s hand. 

Gabriel didn’t smile. He slipped his hand out of Jack’s and stood, running his fingers through the curls on top of his head. “I’ve got a job to do here. So do you. I can’t...focus, not on this. We have shit to do.”

“Gabe-”

“I still need the injection. Walked out right after the fucker told me.” Gabriel grimaced. He walked towards the door. “I’ll catch you later.”

Jack stood from the bed (to stop him, to hold him, to drag him back to the bed) but Gabriel shut the door before he could say anything. 

Jack sighed. In the time that he’d known Gabe (8 months, 8 months of Colorado sunsets) he’d never seen him cry. Gabriel was incredibly unemotional. He got frustrated very easily, sure. He joked around sometimes. During times like these, times of high stress and rising emotions, however, Gabriel was surprisingly cold. Jack guessed that was why Gabe was such a good soldier, why he was made an officer (and Jack wasn’t). Jack felt everything, he expressed everything. When they started sleeping together a few months previously, it turned Jack on so much just to see Gabriel unravel. To see him feel something. Gabriel was so good at hiding his emotions, at burying them deep and turning robotic that Jack almost believed he felt nothing at all (he knew that he did though). 

He glanced at the unfinished letter on his desk. He debated going back to writing, but his mind was set. There was something he needed to do first.

-

The holiday season at the SEP was a bleak affair. Almost everyone was sad, depressed that they didn’t get to go home and see their families. It was what they signed up for; nobody complained. But Jack could see the sadness etched in the faces of his fellow soldiers as he walked through the halls. When he got to Commander Clay’s office (the motherfucker that was in charge of who went where), Jack was already losing confidence that this plan would work. He knocked on the door and waited for some sign to enter.

“Come in,” came a voice from the room.

Clay sat behind a large, plain desk. He was typing on a screen when Jack walked in. When Clay saw him, he raised his eyebrows. “Morrison. What can I do for you?”

“Sir, I was wondering...Officer Reyes’ father passed away. I know there are strict rules about leaving the facility, but I just wanted to see if there was a way he could go to the funeral…?”

Clay was already shaking his head. “No. I’m very sorry to say that, but it’s not safe for soldiers to leave right now. There are omnic threats everywhere and we need everyone at our disposal. Reyes is too valuable of an asset to let go right now, even for a day. Besides, we’re already sending a troop out to California next week. His name isn’t on the list, he’s needed here.”

“But sir, LA is only a few hours flight from here, couldn’t he just-?”

“I said no and that is my final answer, Morrison,” replied Clay, but he frowned and tilted his head. “It’s...admirable, that you care so much for Reyes’ welfare. But I talked to him myself, not too long ago. He’s doing fine. He said so. He understands what he signed up for. I suggest you keep that in mind.”

Jack sat back, stunned. He couldn’t possibly imagine a scenario where Gabriel would tell Commander Clay that it was okay to miss his father’s funeral. He hadn’t known Gabe long, but he knew him well. He didn’t hold back. He didn’t sugarcoat. When they first met, Gabriel had no problem telling him “your technique sucks, _cabrón_ , maybe you should go back to Indiana and shuck corn, you’d be a lot more effective at that” while lazily blocking Jack’s punches during a training session. His grumpy, no-nonsense demeanor was one of the things that Jack hated (and loved) about Gabriel. He was cold and brutally honest, but Jack had seen (on rare occasions) a softer side. It made his heart crack to think of Gabriel holding it all in while he suffered on the inside.

Jack returned to their room after his failed attempt to help Gabe. When he opened the door, Gabriel was laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. As he shut the door, he asked, “Can I do something for you?”

Gabe glanced at him. He eyes traveled up Jack’s body and down before he said, “I could really use a distraction.” 

Jack said, “Okay.”

He was on Gabe’s bed in a matter of seconds.

Straddling Gabriel’s waist, Jack leaned down and kissed him, gentle, nipping at his flush bottom lip and sucking it into his mouth. Gabriel let out a small groan and threaded his fingers through Jack’s blonde hair. They kissed, Jack trying to keep it light and comforting, but it was hard when Gabriel was grounding up into him the way that he was.

When Jack pulled back for air, Gabriel scoffed, “Jesus, Jack. I’m not made of glass.”

Jack pressed his forehead against Gabriel’s, sighing against his lips. “You need to be taken care of. I want to take care of you.”

Gabriel shook his head. “No, I don’t. I need to be fucked. Hard.”

Jack wanted to argue ( _this isn’t healthy, just talk to me, dammit_ ) but Gabriel flipped them over and took Jack’s wrists in his hands, pinning him to the twin bed. He kissed him brutally, Gabe’s tongue dominating his mouth as his strong hands moved all over Jack’s chest. He pinched Jack’s nipple through his shirt and Jack bucked up, moaning at the feeling. Gabriel moved his mouth to Jack’s neck, sucking on his skin. Jack panted, growing increasingly hard at the feeling of Gabe’s tongue on his neck. 

“Clothes, off,” breathed out Jack, scrambling to undo Gabe’s belt. Gabriel chuckled and swatted Jack’s hands away.

“I’ll do this. You just sit there and look pretty.”

Jack obeyed, biting his lip as Gabriel stripped. He took his shirt off first, tossing it over towards Jack’s bed against the wall. He took an unbearably long time with this belt, so long that Jack sat up and grabbed Gabriel’s face, kissing him soundly on the mouth. Gabriel seemed to forget what he was doing, because his fingers were back in Jack’s hair, keeping him firmly in place. Their tongues met in the middle, flicking against each other as Jack’s hands moved to Gabriel’s belt. “You’re taking too long,” said Jack in between kisses, sliding Gabriel’s pants down.

“Oh, well, I’m sorry to inconvenience you,” replied Gabe, rolling his eyes. “Maybe I should just stop wearing pants at all, to make it easier for you.”

“You promise?” said Jack, smirking as he rubbed a hand over Gabe’s bulge. Gabriel let out a breathy moan, his head falling against Jack’s shoulder. Jack slipped Gabriel’s briefs down and exposed his leaking cock. His fingers were wrapped around it instantly, moving up and down as Gabriel bucked into him, biting the skin between Jack’s shoulder and neck. 

“You’re wearing too many clothes,” muttered Gabe, pulling at Jack’s shirt.

Jack laughed at that. “Hypocrite, much?”

“Shut the fuck up and put your mouth on me,” was Gabe’s eloquent response. Jack loved these moments, when Gabe was so turned on that he stopped being reasonable. Jack did what he was told. He leaned forward and licked a stripe down Gabriel’s cock. Gabe groaned, fisting Jack’s hair and pulling his head into him. 

“You look so fucking good like this,” murmured Gabriel from above him. It was an awkward angle; Jack was sitting up, leaning forward on the bed to suck Gabe’s dick as Gabriel worked on pulling Jack’s pants off, but Gabriel was glancing at him with a look of deep need and want in his eyes. Jack tried taking all of Gabriel into his mouth, but his core ached from the positioning. Frustrated, Jack grabbed Gabe’s hips, shoved him flat on the bed and climbed on top of him, fondling his upper thighs as he sucked the head of Gabe’s cock into his mouth.

Gabriel was running his hands through Jack’s hair, soft groans leaving his mouth as he jerked his hips up. Jack kept them pressed down onto the bed to keep Gabe from choking him. He knew Gabriel wanted him to be rough, but Jack couldn’t help but lovingly press kisses and little nips to Gabriel’s thighs in between sucking. When Gabriel started pulling at Jack’s hair, Jack looked to see Gabriel sitting up.

“Can’t take much more of that,” said Gabe, kissing Jack roughly and wrapping his thick arms around him. He was attached to Jack’s neck again, kissing and sucking and most definitely leaving a mark. Under normal circumstances, Jack would chastise him, but if this is what would make Gabriel feel better, then he would allow it. They fell back on the bed together, kissing and rubbing their cocks together. Jack moaned at the feeling of Gabe’s cock twitching against his. Gabe wrapped his hands around both of their dicks and started jerking them off at the same time, muttering in Jack’s ear as he did. “You’re so fucking hot, _querido_. I can’t decide whether I want you to come inside me or all over me.”

“Whatever you want,” groaned Jack, his head falling onto the pillow and his eyes rolling back a bit at the feeling of Gabriel’s big hand. Gabe bit Jack’s neck, pressing his teeth in and panting against his skin. 

“No,” muttered Gabriel, sliding his free hand up Jack’s body and played with his nipples (Jack almost yelled out at the feeling). “I want you to decide. Do whatever you want to me. I need this, Jack,” he whispered, and Jack felt a jolt in his gut that had nothing to do with his erection, “I need you. I need you right now.”

Jack felt his heart drop at Gabriel’s words. He sat up, cupping Gabe’s face and kissing him. He wanted so much to just take Gabe in his arms and hold him, kiss him until he felt better, but his arousal was growing and he knew that he needed to put his own wants aside now. This was Gabe’s time. Jack realized in that moment (okay, maybe a long time ago, maybe even the first time Gabriel had pushed Jack against a wall and brushed his lips against his) that he would do anything to make Gabriel happy. He couldn’t stand the thought of Gabe upset, unhappy, hurt. He knew they weren’t together officially. They’d never said those three words, had never stopped to define whatever it was they were. But Jack was so close to telling Gabriel what he’d been itching to tell him for months now ( _I love you, I love you, I love you so much Gabriel Reyes_ ). Just to make him feel like he wasn’t alone. That someone cared.

Jack flipped Gabriel onto his stomach. He reached for the lube that they kept in Jack’s desk, his hands shaking (they’d only done this a few times, and Gabe was always on top). He set it aside on the bed, staring at Gabe’s raised ass. He ran a hand over the flesh, squeezing it and breathing heavily, his heart pumping. If Gabriel wanted him to be rough, well, he was going to give the man what he asked for.

Jack brought his hand down hard on Gabe’s ass. Gabriel shouted, his head against the mattress as he moaned loud. “ _Dios mio_ , yes, Jack, _please_. Do that again.”

He did. He did it three times in a row, smacking Gabriel’s ass until it turned red. Gabriel was rutting into the bed, gasping and groaning so much that Jack thought he could easily come just from listening to Gabe react. 

“You like that, huh?” muttered Jack, using the back of his hand this time to swat Gabe’s ass. “You like when I spank you like that?”

“ _Fuck_ yes,” groaned Gabriel into the sheets, fisting the covers. “Don’t fucking stop.”

A part of Jack felt so wrong for doing this, like this was not what he was supposed to be doing. He was supposed to be taking care of Gabriel. But Gabe was moaning more than Jack had ever heard him before, bucking into the bed and gasping every time Jack brought his hand down. Jack leaned over Gabriel’s back and kissed his shoulder sloppily, rubbing his cock in between Gabe’s cheeks. “I want to fuck you so bad. Shit, Gabe. I’m so hard.”

“I want to feel you come inside me,” moaned Gabriel. “Please, Jack.”

It was interesting, their sex life. The way they switched control. Jack was so used to being at Gabriel’s will. The roles reversing was hot enough, but Gabriel being so vocal about wanting Jack to take the lead was what was making him so achingly hard. Jack had little experience with men before Gabriel came along. Gabriel was the first one to ever fuck him, and Jack loved the feeling of Gabe taking him from behind. But, Jack had to admit as he slicked up his fingers and inserted one into Gabe’s hole, this was pretty good too.

He fingered Gabriel, prepping him as Gabriel breathed loudly, his cheek pressed against the sheets. Jack leaned down and pressed his lips against Gabriel’s cheek, caressing his skin with his lips. “I want to make you feel good.”

“Feels amazing, _querido_. Don’t stop,” panted Gabriel, pushing back against Jack’s fingers as he added a second one. “Make me forget, Jack. I want to forget.” His tone suddenly took a different note. He sounded sorrowful. Jack stopped what he was doing for a second to look at Gabe. His eyes were squinted, his lips were trembling, and Jack felt like the whole world paused when he saw Gabriel’s cheeks were damp.

“Gabe,” Jack whispered, sliding his fingers out of his ass. “Gabe, sweetheart. Look at me.”

Gabriel didn’t reply. He brought his arm up to bury his face inside the crook of his elbow, his shoulders quaking as he let out a sob. Jack felt his own eyes water as he leaned down, his arousal all but forgotten as he pressed himself against Gabriel’s lean back and hugged him, his cheek against Gabriel’s shaking shoulders. 

“It’s okay, Gabe, it’s okay. _Shhh_. I’m here,” murmured Jack, holding him tightly. His voice broke. “Fuck, I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Gabriel was shaking his head against his arm. “I’m so sorry,” he choked out, his voice muffled. 

“Don’t be. God, Gabe. Don’t be sorry.” Jack tried to flip him over, but Gabe resisted. He was stronger than Jack (only by a little) and he wouldn’t budge. Jack pressed chaste kisses to Gabriel’s skin. “We’ll do whatever you want. We can keep going. We can stop. I don’t care. I just,” Jack paused, feeling those words on the tip of his tongue ( _I fucking love you Gabe, I’ll give you the damn world if you’d let me_ ) but he bit the inside of his cheek. Instead, he said, “I just want you to be okay.”

Jack’s erection was almost completely gone, but he barely noticed. He tried again to pull Gabriel up. This time, Gabriel softened. He pulled Gabe up by his arm and pulled him into his chest, laying them both down on the bed. Gabriel tucked his face into Jack’s chest. Jack wrapped an arm around Gabriel’s shoulders and sighed. He curled his fingers into Gabe’s hair and ran his them through repeatedly, trying to calm Gabriel down.

They stayed like that for awhile. They said nothing, Gabriel sniffing while Jack rubbed him, trying to comfort him as best as he could. Jack knew this was what Gabriel needed. He didn’t need a cock in his ass or a hand smacking his skin. Maybe he wanted those things; badly. But he didn’t need them. Jack knew Gabriel needed him to care right now. To stay with him. He just couldn’t say it out loud.

“My dad played baseball, you know,” came Gabriel’s voice, gruff and scratchy. Jack could feel his breath against his chest. “Damn good, too. Played for his school. They gave him a medal, really fucking valuable thing. He couldn’t keep it, though. The school wanted to display it. He always used to joke that he wanted to be buried with it,” Gabe paused to rub his nose. He let out a shaky breath. “Guess that’ll never happen.”

Jack stoked Gabriel’s back, pondering. “Where did he go to school?” 

“Portside High. One of the best in the city. I didn’t go,” said Gabriel, letting out a dark chuckle. “Not smart enough to stay in school, I guess.”

“You’re one of the smartest people I’ve ever met,” snapped Jack, his hand tightening in Gabriel’s hair, “so you can shut the fuck up about that.”

Gabriel didn’t respond. He nuzzled his head closer into Jack. After a few minutes, Jack felt the familiar breathing pattern that told him Gabriel was asleep. He was used to this. Gabriel was always the one to pass out after sex (or almost sex) and Jack was the one who stayed up with too many thoughts in his brain. Wondering. Thinking about how he was going to live the rest of his life knowing he would never find someone else like Gabriel Reyes.

This time, he watched Gabriel’s sleeping face. His eyelashes were too damn long for any man to have. Too dark, too beautiful. His beard was scratching against Jack’s skin and it itched, but he ignored it. He continued to stroke Gabe’s hair, wide awake as he brainstormed a plan.

He was going to do whatever he could to make this right.

-

Gabriel’s name was not on the list of people going to Santa Barbara for a security detail, but Jack’s sure was. They announced it the following week during a briefing session. The soldiers who’d been picked were visibly excited to be leaving the facility for a week, but the last thing Jack wanted to do was leave Gabriel in his time of need. When Jack’s name was called, he instinctively looked over at Gabe to see his jaw tense. 

He packed his bag in his room while Gabriel watched, a sullen look on his face. “Santa Barbara is only a few hours from LA,” said Gabriel, bitter and scowling. “Fuck Clay and fuck this fucking program.”

“I’m sorry,” muttered Jack, frowning. “I wish you were coming with me.”

Gabriel didn’t say anything. He crossed his arms and watched Jack fold his socks. When Jack was done, he brought his packed bag to the door and set it down. He turned back to Gabriel, his insides nervous. Now was as good of a time as any. “Gabe, there’s something I want to say…”

“Don’t bother. Don’t waste your time talking to me. You’ll miss your flight,” replied Gabriel, glaring at the ground.

Jack frowned. “Come on, man. Don’t leave it like this.”

Gabriel scoffed, flicking at a speck on his sleeve. “What, do you want me to tell you how much I’ll miss you? How I can’t go on without you? You’ll be gone a week, Jack. Back in time for Christmas, even. I think I’ll live.”

Jack knew he was lashing out. He knew Gabe was just angry that Jack would be so close to LA and he would be stuck here, but it still hurt. It’s not like Jack asked for this. In fact, he’d even asked if they could switch places, but Clay gave Jack one of those “fuck off Morrison” looks and he shut his mouth. Gabriel didn’t know any of that. All he knew was that his dad was dead, Jack was going to California, and he was stuck getting serums injected into his body in the middle of Colorado.

Jack swallowed his hurt and picked up his bag. “Goodbye, Gabe. I’ll see you soon.”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Gabriel, not looking at him. Jack bit his cheek but left the room, his fingers whitening around the handle of his bag. He wanted so badly to run back in and crush Gabriel against him but he was sure Gabe would shove him off and make fun of him. He knew Gabriel was in pain, but dammit, his on-off emotions were going to drive Jack off a cliff.

When he got to California, he learned he’d be working mostly night shifts. He counted on this. He kept his head down and did his duty, trying to push thoughts of Gabriel from his mind. He wanted to check up on him, call him, see how he was doing. He wondered (one night as he was sitting against a wall in Santa Barbara, listening to the firing in the distance) if Gabriel was worried about him. Worried he’d never see Jack again, that the last thing he’d done was say something hurtful. Jack liked to think that Gabriel didn’t mean to be such a prick, but he sometimes wondered if Gabe thought about anyone but himself.

Regardless, Jack got off in the early morning and immediately rented a car. He drove down to LA, admiring the Pacific coast as he did. This is where Gabriel grew up. This was his home. Jack stopped and asked for directions once he got into the heart of the city. When he reached Portside High, he went straight to the principal’s office, only to hear the one word he was praying wouldn’t be said. 

“No.”

“Oh, come the fuck on,” grunted Jack, his patience running thin. “It’s been sitting in a glass case for forty years. This was the man’s one dream. Are you seriously going to sit there and tell me he can’t be buried with the damn medal that _he_ won?”

The principal did not look moved. “That medal belongs to the school. It was one of our proudest athletic achievements. It stays here.”

Jack was tempted to reach across the desk and punch the smarmy teacher in the face, but he restrained himself. “Sir, please. I drove all the way from Santa Barbara, flew from Colorado. Alejandro Reyes’ son is my...friend,” he said, looking at the teacher earnestly. “He’s a good friend. He needs something to help him accept his father’s death. Please. Let him have this.”

The teacher refused. Jack kicked his chair away as he stood up, slamming the door and shoving his hands in his pockets as he left the school, cursing Portside and LA and Gabe, for telling him that fucking story and making him think he could’ve done something to make Gabriel smile for even half a damn second. He took out his revenge by destroying a Christmas tree sitting in one of the halls of the school, stamping on ornaments and kicking the lockers in a rage.

He returned to Santa Barbara empty-handed, heavy-hearted, and defeated.

-

The snow of Colorado was a welcome to change to fucking California with its’ heat and shitty high school teachers. Jack was still in a pissy mood when he returned to the SEP facility. He barely registered all of the Christmas decorations that had been put up for Christmas Eve. Lights twinkled all down the corridors, little trees sat in the corners, but all Jack wanted to do was go to his room and forget the world for a while. He was tired, and sore, and he just needed a break from being a soldier for a second. 

When he got to his room, Gabriel wasn’t there. That pissed Jack off (what, are you avoiding me, Reyes?), so he threw his bag down and sat at his desk, his shoulders slumped. He’d forgotten all about the letter he’d been writing his mother a week before. He tried not to swear or sound angry in his writing, but after he accidentally pressed the pen into the paper too hard and it tore, he gave up completely. He crumpled it up and threw it on the ground. He kept running Gabriel’s taunt in his head, hurting all over again. He knew he’d seen Gabe only a week ago, but he still missed him. Of course Gabriel wouldn’t even give a shit that Jack had come back. Jack moved to his bed and flung himself down, draping his hands over his head.

The door opened a few minutes later. Gabriel strode in, holding some sort of box in his hands but he stopped at the sight of Jack on the bed. “Oh, shit. Didn’t know you were here already.”

Jack glared. “Yeah, like you care, though.”

Gabriel’s eyebrows furrowed. “Huh?”

“Well, you know, since you said you don’t really notice my presence, or whatever.” Jack knew he was being unfair, but he was hurt. And, honestly, he was really sick of Gabe shitting on him all the time. After everything Jack had gone through in California for him. After holding him for nights on end until he fell asleep.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Shut up, _idioto_. You know I wasn’t serious.”

“Do I?” challenged Jack. “Sure seemed like you were.”

“So then what the fuck is this, huh, Jack?” asked Gabriel, holding up the box, an annoyed (and almost insulted) glint in his eye. “Your Christmas present? Would I have gotten you something if I didn’t give a fuck about you?”

The box was simple enough, with no special wrapping or bows on it. Jack found himself curious as to what was inside it, but he was still mad at Gabriel. Or was he? Frustrated, Jack threw his pillow at the wall, sighing. 

Gabriel circled around his bed and put the box on Jack’s. “Merry Christmas, asshole. Nice to see you too.”

Gabriel made to walk away, but Jack quickly reached out and grabbed his wrist. He pulled Gabriel back towards the bed. Gabriel made a show of wrenching his wrist out of Jack’s grip, but then, he sat down on the other side of the box, his hands folded in his lap. 

“Gabe I’m...I’m sorry. Shit, I’m just tired. The past week has been hell.”

Gabriel made a noise of acknowledgment. Jack frowned. Testing the waters, he reached out a tentative hand and put it over Gabriel’s. The other man relaxed a little, one of his fingers curling around Jack’s. 

“I know it was only a week, but I missed you,” admitted Jack, flushing. He felt awkward exposing himself like this. He could rip his clothes off and fuck around with Gabe on a bed all day, but when it came to feelings? They just weren’t as good at that.

Gabriel let out a breath. He leaned his head on Jack’s shoulder. “I might have missed you too, _querido_ ,” muttered Gabe. Their hands remained intertwined.

Jack rested his head on Gabriel’s, enjoying the moment. Then, he couldn’t help but say, “California sucks, by the way.”

Gabriel barked out a laugh, his body shaking against Jack’s. “I’m sure it’s quite different than farm country.”

Jack shrugged. “It’d would’ve been better if you were there.” Jack bit his lip; it was true, but that regret of being honest rose up in him again.

Jack could almost feel Gabriel rolling his eyes, but he pulled Jack closer and nestled his head closer. After a few minutes of just settling in each other’s company, Gabriel pulled back. Jack immediately missed the contact ( _get back here and hold me, you son of a bitch_ ) but Gabe pushed the box into Jack’s lap. “I know it’s only Christmas Eve, but whatever. You can open it.”

Jack knew he should’ve waited until the next day, but he couldn’t help it. It was snowing outside, it was cold, and the box was already in Jack’s lap. He gave Gabriel an apprehensive look before opening the box. Gabriel wasn’t looking at him; in fact, it seemed like he was staring anywhere but in Jack’s direction. Looks like Jack wasn’t the only one feeling shy. Smirking a little, Jack opened the box.

It was a book. Well, more like a binder. It was beautifully bound in blue leather (Jack’s favorite color) and lined with some sort of gold material. Jack ran his fingers over it, loving it already. “Wow, thank you,” he said dumbly, still struck that Gabriel had gotten him something.

Gabriel snorted. “Jesus, Jack. You wanna open it or just stare at it?” His voice was a little shaky, like he was nervous. 

Jack was too busy admiring the book itself. He flipped it open in his hands and looked inside. Bound to the leather were his parents letters. He glanced up, confused, looking towards his desk. They weren’t sitting on the desk anymore. How had he not noticed? He flipped through the book, noticing each letter from the last 8 months was in chronological order. He felt something rise in his throat. It felt tight.

Gabriel filled the silence, beginning to ramble a little bit. He was running his fingers through his hair as he spoke. “I figured it’d be nice to keep them all in one place, you know? That way you don’t lose any of ‘em. I had the idea, and then Kate, you know her, right? She did some training with us a few months back. Well, she’s really crafty with this kind of shit so I asked for her help, she gave me a lot of tips about it and since I know shit all about crafts I took most of her advice,” said Gabriel, shrugging. He was talking fast, explaining everything, while Jack started to smile, feeling a little drunk - on what, he didn’t know. Gabe continued. “It’s not perfect. I tore one of the letters accidentally at the bottom - yeah, that one right there - so I’m sorry about that. I hope you don’t mind, I tried gluing it back, as you can see there, but-”

Jack leaned over and kissed Gabriel on the cheek. He wrapped an arm around his shoulder, pulling his head into him. “I think it’s perfect,” Jack murmured, pressing his lips to Gabriel’s nose. “This was...so thoughtful. I don’t know what else to say.”

He could feel Gabriel turning red and warm under his kiss. Jack leaned back, drinking in the sight of Gabriel fucking Reyes _blushing_. That was a new one. 

Gabriel pushed at Jack’s shoulder. “Stop looking at me like that, Jack.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re in love with me or something.”

Jack opened his mouth and then shut it. He held his breath, just staring at Gabriel, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. Gabriel’s eyes widened, his mouth parted. Jack started to panic. He knew they weren’t there yet. It had only...it had only been a few months. They weren’t even dating. 

Gabriel tilted his head. “Jack…” he trailed weakly.

Jack didn’t want to hear it. Instead, he reached under his bed and grabbed for his bag, which had fallen there after he’d so graciously thrown it on his bed. He reached into it and pulled out a small package wrapped in a brown bag. He held it out to Gabriel. 

“I got it in California. Sorry it’s not wrapped well, I didn’t have time.”

Gabriel looked at the package, confused. “You went Christmas shopping during a mission?”

“Well...kind of. Just open it.”

Gabriel took it, gently holding it in his hands. He tore at the paper, tossing it aside. 

_“Dios mio.”_

It was the medal.

Now it was Jack’s turn to babble. “I went down there on my off-time. Motherfucking principal wouldn’t give it to me. I left without it and felt like absolute shit, Gabe. I wanted you to have it _so_ bad, that way you could, you know, bury it, next time you’re back in LA. So I went back down the next day and broke in. I stole it. So...pretty sure you’ll have to go without me, I think I’m wanted in Los Angeles now-”

Jack couldn’t finish, because Gabriel had grabbed his lapel very suddenly and crashed his lips into his. 

They’d kissed like this before, most often during (or right before) sex. Desperation, want, need. All familiar things that Jack felt from Gabriel. But this...this was unlike any kiss Gabriel had ever given Jack. Gabriel held his face, kissing his lips rough and gentle at the same time, softly pressing his lips to Jack’s over and over again, like he tasted something new and wonderful each time his lips touched Jack’s. Jack’s hands were on Gabriel’s face too. They stopped kissing, just panting and breathing, their forehead pressed together, their hands cupping each other’s faces. Jack was smiling, feeling lighter than a feather as Gabriel kept pressing his lips to Jack’s face, murmuring sweet things in Spanish like, _“Mi corazón, mi amor, dios mio, eres perfecto.”_

“Merry Christmas, Gabe,” whispered Jack, caressing his cheeks. Gabe was smiling now, smiling brighter and more genuinely than Jack had ever seen anyone smile in his entire life.

He knew what he was feeling from Gabriel in this moment. For once, it wasn’t about getting off, or needing release. No.

This was love.

**Author's Note:**

> you can follow me/harrass me on tumblr[ @dorvalante](www.dorvalante.tumblr.com)
> 
> hope you liked! happy holidays overwatch fam! leave a comment if you'd like or hit me up on tumblr with any reap76 prompts and I'll more than likely oblige :)


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